Baking-cup cleaner.



No. V700,584. Patented May 20, 190.2. M. VAUTUUB H. PBEFUNTAINE.

BAKING CUP CLEANER.

(Application led Apr. 29, 1901.)

(No Mode.)

' Il', 1"", '/Il,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARCEL VAUTOUR AND HERMENEGIL PREFONTAINE, OF'EISHERVILLE,

MASSACHUSETTS.

BAKlN'GiC'U P CLEAN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,584, dated May 20, 1902.

Application filed April 29, IQI.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, MARCEL VAUTOUE, a subject of the King of England, and HER- MENEGIL PREEONTAINE, a citizen of the United States, both residing at Fisherville, in

the county of Worcester and State of Massa chusetts, have invented a new and useful Baking-Cup Cleaner, of which the foll0wing` is a specification.

This invention relates to a construction which has been especially designed for scraping and cleaning out baking-cups employed in bakeries for cooking individual cakes.

The object of thisinvention is to provide a construction which will act automatically to` insure a thorough scraping or cleaning of each dish which is acted upon thereby.

To these ends this invention consists of the baking-cupycleaner and of the combination of parts therein, as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of thisspecication. y

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a View, partially broken away, of a baking-cup' cleaner constructed according to our inven-'z tion; and Fig. 2 is a Vperspective view of a. baking-cup of ordinary form.

In cooking or baking individual cakes-e-v such, for example, as are frequently termedcup-cakesit often happens that crumbs or portions of the cake will adhere to the cup in which the same is cooked; and before the cup can be used again it is essential that -the same should be thoroughly scraped out or cleaned. This has heretofore ordinarily been done with a knife and by hand.

The especial obj ect of our presentinventionjv is therefore to provide a cup-cleaning mech'-` anism which will operate automatically and' insure a more perfect scraping out and cleaning of baking-cups than has heretofore been secured.

To these ends a' cup-cleaning device constructed according to our invention comprises a rotary head, which may consist of crosspieces or an end correspondingsubstantially to the diameter of .the cup to be cleaned. Mountedin the rotary headare inclined scraping arms or knives, which are normally spread apart by springs and which are arranged to be compressed or forced toward senti Nt. 57,927. (No model.)

each otherwhen a cup is applied to the head. y Any desired means can be employed for turn- .ing or drivingthe rotary head.

. C In practice the vertical spindle of the rotary head is preferably normally lifted by a springr Tand is provided with a spiral groove for turning or twisting the same when the spindle is forced down.

Referring to the accompanying drawings and in detail, A designates a table or other support to which our cup-cleaner is attached. 'Secured to the ed ge .of the table Ais a bracket or clamp 10, secured in place by a Wing-nut :11. Mounted in the bracket 10 is a socketieee 12, fastened in place by a nut 14. EX- tending down through Vthe socket-piece 12 is a vertical shaft 16, which is held in place by a spiral groove 17, which' is engaged vby the end of a screw 18. The shaft lis normally lifted by means of a coiled spring 1 9, bearing against a collar 20. At its upper end the shaft 16 is provided with a head part comprising extending arms 21, pivotally connected to which are scraping blades or knives 22. On top of the V arms 21 we provide a cushion or center piece 23, although the use of such center piece is not essential. Connected with each of the scraping blades or knives 22 is a wire 24, extending through the spindle or vertical shaft 16 and provided with a coiled spring 25. By means of this construction when a cup B such, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 2-'is applied to therotary head, so as to depress the vertical spindle, the spiral groove of the spindle willcause' the sameto rotate or turn automatically, cleaningfout the inside of the i cup in a simple and efficient manner. Dur- ;ing the 4rotation of the spindle each of the scrapingknives orv blades'22'will be forced out byY its spring to bear witha substantially uniform pressure alongits entire length upon the side of the cup which is being cleaned or scraped out.,

Dierent diameters of rotary heads will be used for dierent-siiedcups, althoughuthe same rotary head may be employed fordierent cups whose sides are more or less flaring.

We are aware that numerous changes may be made in the construction of our device byv those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of our invention as expressed in the claims. Forexample dierentmeans may be employed from those herein illustrated for turning or rotating the spindle. We do not wish, therefore, 1o be limited to the construction we have herein shown and described; but

What we do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In a device for cleaning baking-cups, the combination of a vertical spindle, a cleaning-head comprising a support on the upper end of said spindle, with scraping blades or knives pivotally connected at their upper ends thereto, a wire extending from each scraping blade or knife through the spindle, a spring tending to throw each blade or knife outwardly, a stop on each of said wires for limiting the outward motion of its knife, and means for rotating the spindle.

2. In a device for cleaning baking-cups, the combination of a socket,`a spring-sup ported spindle having a spiral groove, a pin or screw engaging the groove, and a cleaning-head mounted on the end of said spindle, and comprising a support, cleaning blades or knives pivoted at their upper ends thereto, a guide-wire extending from each cleaning blade or knife through the spindle, a spring mounted on each of said guide-wires tending to swing its blade or knife outwardly, and a stop on each of the guide-wires for limiting the outward motion of its cleaning blade or knife. Y

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of'two subscribing witnesses.

MARCEL VAUTOUR. HERMENEGIL PREFONTAINE.

Witnesses:

PHILIP W. SOUTHGATE, JOHN F. CROWELL.. 

